Report: Syrians Dismantling Facility Hit by IAF

The Washington Post is reporting in a story co-written by the highly credible Robin Wright that Syria has begun dismantling the site hit by the Israeli Air Force (IAF) last month. We should know in a little more time whether this is confirmed, as the press has been allowed nearby to the site and if they are kicked out, any country in the world with advanced intelligence capability is watching over with satellite reconnaissance and there may be more leaks on the story. If true, it’s the strongest indication yet it was either a nuclear facility of sorts, or if not, at least something important enough for the Israelis to really want to hit and the Syrians to want to cover up — and not just a standard missile shipment to Hizbullah that the Israelis selected as a generic target to practice for Iran or send a warning message — or an agricultural facility as the Syrians have claimed. The former is not likely, as no such facility needs to be built in order to make a simple weapons shipment to Hizbullah, or dismantled later to hide evidence. If it were the latter, what does Syria have to hide? Are they afraid journalists will come and discover some burnt out tractors and crops to confirm their narrative of the story? Assuming the Syrians are acting with rationality and sound judgment, they would have to believe that dismantling the facility in question, however damning, is less damning than if the international community were to learn the facility’s true nature. In the next few days, you can expect some denials and counter-denials over this report, in addition to some new stories published about it.

(Washington Post) — “Syria has begun dismantling the remains of a site Israel bombed Sept. 6 in what may be an attempt to prevent the location from coming under international scrutiny, said U.S. and foreign officials familiar with the aftermath of the attack.Based on overhead photography, the officials say the site in Syria’s eastern desert near the Euphrates River had a “signature” or characteristics of a small but substantial nuclear reactor, one similar in structure to North Korea’s facilities.

The dismantling of the damaged site, which appears to be still underway, could make it difficult for weapons inspectors to determine the precise nature of the facility and how Syria planned to use it. Syria, which possesses a small reactor used for scientific research, has denied seeking to expand its nuclear program. But U.S. officials knowledgeable about the Israeli raid have described the target as a nuclear facility being constructed with North Korean assistance…”